A few years ago, Lou and I bought a Blackstone flat top griddle and, honestly, we had a lot of questions.
Like most people, we started by watching videos, reading recipes, and figuring out the basics – how to season the griddle, how to clean it, and how to actually cook on the thing without ruining dinner. Over time, though, something fun happened.
We got better.
And somewhere along the way, hibachi night became one of our favorite warm-weather traditions.
Here in Connecticut, once June rolls around, we start thinking: Okay… it’s Blackstone season. We pull out our basket of hibachi sauces and seasonings from the fridge, prep vegetables, marinate fish or chicken, and get ready for that glorious sizzle.
Over the years, Lou has really perfected our hibachi method. He’s become the hibachi master around here.
Me? I’ve learned a lot from him – especially when it comes to marinades, timing, and seasoning.
I’m pretty confident with marinating fish now. The vegetables? Still learning. Getting that perfect balance of tender, caramelized, and well-seasoned takes practice.
But yesterday? I nailed something.
Shrimp fried rice.
And wow… it was fabulous.
The funny part is, this recipe came together because of a thunderstorm.
I had vegetables cooking outside when dark clouds rolled in. Suddenly it started storming, so I had to rescue everything and finish the veggies inside. I originally planned to make the fried rice on the Blackstone too, but Mother Nature had other plans.
So I pivoted.
I grabbed my big cast iron skillet, used the cold rice I had cooked earlier in the day, and made the fried rice indoors.
And let me tell you…
It was every bit as delicious as the Blackstone version.
That’s when I knew this recipe needed a permanent place on the blog.
What Is Hibachi?
Hibachi-style cooking uses high heat to quickly cook proteins, vegetables, and rice, creating caramelized edges and bold flavor.
At Japanese steakhouses, hibachi usually means sizzling meats, veggies, fried rice, and those signature savory sauces cooked on a large flat surface.
The magic comes from:
- High heat
- Fast cooking
- Great timing
- Big flavor from simple ingredients
Soy sauce, butter, garlic, sesame oil, and ginger? That combo is pure magic.
This is the Blackstone Flattop Griddle that we use to create Hibachi goodness on our back deck! OOO!
Back to cooking…
Ingredients You’ll Need for my Shrimp fried rice:
- Cold Cooked Rice
- Raw Shrimp
- Eggs
- Avocado Oil
- Sesame Oil
- Butter
- Onion
- Frozen Peas
- Minced Garlic
- Minced Ginger
- Soy Sauce
- Green Onions
- Black Pepper
- Optional: Siracha or Chili flakes
Ingredient Notes
Rice:
Cold rice is key.
Fresh rice contains too much moisture and can turn mushy. Chilled rice fries beautifully and gives you that classic hibachi texture.
No Day-Old Rice? Here’s What I Do:
Traditional fried rice recipes always say to use day-old rice, and yes – it works beautifully.
But here’s my real-life kitchen tip:
I often make 1 cup of rice in the Instant Pot earlier in the day, spread it out a bit so steam can escape, and let it cool in the fridge for a few hours.
Works great.
You want the rice cool and fairly dry, not hot and steamy.
Oil:
I’ve recently fallen in love with avocado oil for high-heat cooking.
It has:
- a high smoke point
- neutral flavor
- excellent searing ability
Use sesame oil more for flavor than actual frying.
Ginger:
Let’s talk about the star ingredient.
Do not skip the ginger.
I’ve seen fried rice recipes without ginger and… I have questions. 😂
Ginger adds warmth, depth, and that unmistakable hibachi flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Blackstone Hibachi Fried Rice
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Better than takeout
- Perfect for feeding family or guests
- Great use for leftover rice
- Works on a Blackstone or in a cast iron skillet
- Customizable with shrimp, chicken, steak, or veggies
- Packed with hibachi-style flavor
And leftovers?
SO good the next day.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cold cooked rice (made from about 1 cup uncooked rice), chilled
Day-old rice works best, but freshly cooked rice chilled for a few hours works too.* - 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or other high-heat oil)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1–2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 2–3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 green onions, chopped
- Black pepper, to taste
- Optional: salt, sriracha or chili flakes
*I cooked 1 cup of rice in my Instant Pot earlier in the day so it had time to chill before dinner.
No Blackstone? No Problem!!
This is my favorite part.
You do not need a flat top griddle to make amazing hibachi fried rice.
I proved that the other day!
A thunderstorm rolled in while I was cooking, so I moved inside and used a large cast iron skillet instead.
Same process:
- cook protein
- remove
- cook veggies
- add rice
- season
- combine
Still delicious.
Still hibachi vibes.
Still worth making.
Tips for Perfect Hibachi Fried Rice:
Prep first:
Because once cooking starts, there’s no time to stop and chop.
Use cold rice:
This is non-negotiable.
Keep heat high:
High heat = caramelization.
Caramelization = flavor.
Cook protein separately:
This keeps shrimp tender and juicy.
Taste as you go:
Adjust soy sauce and seasoning gradually.
What I Served With It:
This fried rice became part of a full hibachi-style dinner.
I marinated:
- cod loin
- sockeye salmon
in sesame teriyaki marinade and grilled both on the flat top.
Oh. My. Goodness.
Both were delicious.
I cooked them to 145°F, about 4 minutes per side.
We also made grilled vegetables:
- Vidalia onions
- zucchini
- red peppers
- mushrooms
Cut into similar sizes so everything cooks evenly.
The veggies got beautiful grill marks and incredible flavor.
And you can cook vegetables on the flat top or grill them! Sometimes we like those grill marks from the propane grill! Cook them how you like them. There isn’t a wrong answer!
That will definitely become another blog post.
Actually… probably TWO.
Because now I need to write about:
- hibachi vegetables
- grilled vegetable technique
You see how this happens? One recipe turns into three.
Hibachi Shrimp Fried Rice
Equipment
- Blackstone griddle or cast iron skillet
- Spatula
- Knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 3 cups cold cooked rice from 1 cup uncooked rice
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 green onions sliced
- Black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
- Optional: sriracha or chili flakes
Instructions
Step 1: Prep everything first:
- Hibachi cooking moves FAST. Dice onions, mince garlic and ginger, chop green onions, thaw peas, and break up the cold rice.
- If using shrimp, peel and chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Have everything ready before heating the griddle or skillet. Trust me on this.
Step 2: Cook the shrimp:
- Heat avocado oil on your Blackstone or skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add shrimp and cook 2–3 minutes until pink and cooked through.
- Add a splash of soy sauce if desired.
- Remove shrimp and set aside.
Step 3: Cook vegetables:
- Add butter.
- Toss in: onions, peas, garlic and ginger
- Cook 3–5 minutes until onions soften and everything smells amazing.
- (At this point your kitchen will smell like a Japanese steakhouse and people will start hovering.)
Step 4: Scramble eggs:
- Push vegetables to one side.
- Crack eggs onto the open space and scramble until cooked.
- Mix into vegetables.
Step 5: Add rice:
- Add cold rice and break apart any clumps.
- Stir and toss everything together.
- Cook several minutes so the rice gets lightly toasted.
- Some crispy bits are GOOD.
- Very good.
Step 6: Season:
- Add: soy sauce, sesame oil and black pepper.
- Add salt if you think it needs it.
- Stir well.
- Taste as you go.
Important: Do not add salt early. Soy sauce already brings salt. Wait until everything is combined before deciding if it needs more. Once salt goes in, you can’t take it out.
Step 7: Finish and serve:
- Add shrimp back in.
- Toss until everything is hot.
- Top with green onions.
- Add sriracha or chili flakes if you like heat.
- Serve immediately. MMM!
Notes
-
Use cold rice:
Fresh hot rice is too soft and can turn mushy. I cooked 1 cup of rice in my Instant Pot earlier in the day (which made about 3 cups cooked), then chilled it before dinner. -
Don’t skip the ginger:
It adds that classic hibachi flavor and really rounds out the dish. -
Taste before adding salt:
Soy sauce already brings plenty of salt. Always wait until the end before deciding if it needs more. -
No Blackstone? No problem:
A large cast iron skillet works beautifully for this recipe — that’s exactly how I made this batch! -
Cook protein first:
Shrimp cooks quickly and stays tender when cooked separately and added back in at the end. -
Great for leftovers:
This reheats really well for lunch the next day. - Enjoy!
Hibachi Shrimp Fried Rice
Equipment
- Blackstone griddle or cast iron skillet
- Spatula
- Knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 3 cups cold cooked rice from 1 cup uncooked rice
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 green onions sliced
- Black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
- Optional: sriracha or chili flakes
Instructions
Step 1: Prep everything first:
- Hibachi cooking moves FAST. Dice onions, mince garlic and ginger, chop green onions, thaw peas, and break up the cold rice.
- If using shrimp, peel and chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Have everything ready before heating the griddle or skillet. Trust me on this.
Step 2: Cook the shrimp:
- Heat avocado oil on your Blackstone or skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add shrimp and cook 2–3 minutes until pink and cooked through.
- Add a splash of soy sauce if desired.
- Remove shrimp and set aside.
Step 3: Cook vegetables:
- Add butter.
- Toss in: onions, peas, garlic and ginger
- Cook 3–5 minutes until onions soften and everything smells amazing.
- (At this point your kitchen will smell like a Japanese steakhouse and people will start hovering.)
Step 4: Scramble eggs:
- Push vegetables to one side.
- Crack eggs onto the open space and scramble until cooked.
- Mix into vegetables.
Step 5: Add rice:
- Add cold rice and break apart any clumps.
- Stir and toss everything together.
- Cook several minutes so the rice gets lightly toasted.
- Some crispy bits are GOOD.
- Very good.
Step 6: Season:
- Add: soy sauce, sesame oil and black pepper.
- Add salt if you think it needs it.
- Stir well.
- Taste as you go.
Important: Do not add salt early. Soy sauce already brings salt. Wait until everything is combined before deciding if it needs more. Once salt goes in, you can’t take it out.
Step 7: Finish and serve:
- Add shrimp back in.
- Toss until everything is hot.
- Top with green onions.
- Add sriracha or chili flakes if you like heat.
- Serve immediately. MMM!
Notes
-
Use cold rice:
Fresh hot rice is too soft and can turn mushy. I cooked 1 cup of rice in my Instant Pot earlier in the day (which made about 3 cups cooked), then chilled it before dinner. -
Don’t skip the ginger:
It adds that classic hibachi flavor and really rounds out the dish. -
Taste before adding salt:
Soy sauce already brings plenty of salt. Always wait until the end before deciding if it needs more. -
No Blackstone? No problem:
A large cast iron skillet works beautifully for this recipe — that’s exactly how I made this batch! -
Cook protein first:
Shrimp cooks quickly and stays tender when cooked separately and added back in at the end. -
Great for leftovers:
This reheats really well for lunch the next day. - Enjoy!
Final Thoughts
One of the best things about hibachi night? It’s flexible. Use what you have and make it your own.
Easy Substitutions:
No shrimp?
Use diced chicken, steak, scallops, salmon, tofu, or keep it vegetarian.
No peas?
Try peas and carrots, edamame, diced zucchini, mushrooms, or chopped bell peppers.
No Blackstone?
A large cast iron skillet works beautifully.
No day-old rice?
Cook rice earlier in the day and chill it before cooking.
Want it gluten-free?
Use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce.
Want more heat?
Add sriracha, chili crisp, or red pepper flakes.
There’s something special about making hibachi at home.
The sizzling sound.
The smell of garlic and sesame oil.
Everyone hovering nearby waiting for a taste.
It feels fun and a little special, but still completely doable for a home cook.
And that’s my favorite kind of cooking.
Nothing fancy.
Nothing pretentious.
Just good food made with love.
Because if you know me, you know this already:
Food is my love language.
And sometimes the best recipes happen when dinner doesn’t go according to plan.
